The show, which will begin its 18th season at 8 p.m. ET on Sunday, will air in high-def for the first time. Philly.com reports that show host Phil Keoghan says viewers have been demanding the switch for some time.

"A lot of people have said to me, 'I just don't understand. If there's any show that lends itself to being in HD, it's 'The Amazing Race," Keoghan told the web site.

But Keoghan adds that filming in HD created a number of logistical problems during the 18th season.

"The thing that everybody has to understand is that shooting a show like Amazing Race...is nothing like shooting a show like American Idol," he told Philly.com. "If something breaks (on Idol), somebody gets on the phone and they call over to somebody in the Valley and within 30 minutes, there's a replacement.

"(But) we're in Bangladesh. It's not like you can just go down to the local TV station and pick up a piece of equipment that will necessarily be, say, HD...I've been working with HD since 2003 on all other projects...but none of them have had the same logistical challenges (as The Amazing Race.)"

Keoghan said this season, which has already been filmed, did not make significant changes to the storyline because of HD. But he acknowledges there had to be some "compromises."

"You don't sacrifice story, but you will sacrifice, or make compromises, with equipment," he said.

The show used Sony XDCAMs to record to Blu-ray high-def disc, the host said.

After years of sticking to standard definition, CBS' around-the-world competition expands to HD for the first time Sunday with an "Unfinished Business" edition starring former contestants.

"For a long time, people have said to me that they couldn't believe we weren't in HD," said Keoghan. "For me, it was just very frustrating because I didn't disagree with them. I think if there's any show on prime-time network television that lends itself to HD, it's 'The Amazing Race.' It screams for HD, and it's been screaming for HD for a long time."

Several other reality TV shows have been broadcast in HD for years. (CBS' "Survivor" upgraded to HD in 2009.) After years of blaming the expense and challenge of using HD equipment on the road, "Amazing Race" producers made the change for the 18th season, promising crisp images of racers climbing a glacier in Switzerland and interacting with animals in China.

The switcheroo is striking in the premiere episode when 11 teams of veteran contestants who have never won the show's $1 million grand prize set off from a wind farm in Palm Springs, Calif., for sunny Sydney, Australia, where the challenges include diving into a murky shark tank and navigating a 16-foot skiff along the glistening Manly Cove.

"Visually, it will be a much richer show," promised executive producer Bertram van Munster. "We're glad that CBS gave us the greenlight to do this in HD. We didn't do so bad in the regular format. We won the Emmy for best reality television cinematography, but now we can go a little further with our new modern technology on those big beautiful flatscreens."

The move to HD didn't dictate this season's course, said van Munster, which

"I think one of the great aspects of this race is all the stark contrasts," said Keoghan. "For example, going from Varanasi to Zermatt, you've got this hot, colorful place in Asia then a very cold, snowy place in Europe. The teams that were racing through those countries were able to see the extreme differences, and we're able to show that off in HD."

Several game-changing twists return for the "Unfinished Business" edition. In the premiere, Keoghan informs the players that the last team to arrive on the mat will automatically face a U-turn, forcing the duo to perform both Detour challenges, while first-place finishers will receive the Express Pass, allowing a team to skip one task during the race.

On the first leg, alliances form when friends Justin Kanew and Zev Glassenberg give up a clue to struggling Nathaniel "Big Easy" Lofton and Herbert "Flight Time" Lang, the Harlem Globetrotters who competed with them on the 15th season, but Kanew dismisses 14th season vets Margie and Luke Adams, and Jaime Edmondson and Cara Rosenthal when they ask for help."We're very aware that five of these teams know each other from competing on the same season," said Kanew during an interview before the race began last November. "Zev and I have definitely talked about it. There might be a natural alliance with them, especially in the beginning before we get to know them. Luckily, none of those teams scare us."

Other racers from the 14th edition include sisters LaKisha and Jen Hoffman, engaged couple Amanda Blackledge and Kris Klicka, and father and son Mel and Mike White. Dating couple Kent Kaliber and Vyxsin Fiala and father and daughter Ron and Christina Hsu hail from the 12th season, while cowboy brothers Jet and Cord McCoy are the only team from the 16th season.

Gary and Mallory Erwin skipped their season finale party in New York to be able to run "The Amazing Race" back to back. The father and daughter duo from the 17th installment only had a few months of downtime before heading back around the globe. Mallory joked before the race began last year that she and her father "still had our bags packed."

In the premiere, Keoghan informs the players that the last team to arrive on the mat will automatically face a U-turn, forcing the duo to perform both Detour challenges, while first-place finishers will receive the Express Pass, allowing a team to skip one task during the race.___

Or it could be that they have to do the first Uturn they come to. Or like Joab was saying, they choose when to do it (although I like this idea I think it is less probable than one of the other two options.)

Quote

what sense does it make to send the last team back to do a detour when they are already last?

[...]In the premiere, Keoghan informs the players that the last team to arrive on the mat will automatically face a U-turn, forcing the duo to perform both Detour challenges, while first-place finishers will receive the Express Pass, allowing a team to skip one task during the race.[...]

Logged

The story so far:In the beginning the Universe was created.This has made a lot of people very angry and has been widely regarded as a bad move

While the challenge with any long-running series is to find a fresh, inventive angle for every new crop of episodes, CBS's reality competition series "The Amazing Race" looks to the past this time around for its 18th cycle. Subtitled 'Unfinished Business,' previous contestants from the past 17 seasons who came close to winning their respective race but failed for whatever reason come back for another try at winning a million dollars in the always exciting race around the world.

In Sunday night's 18th season premiere, the eleven familiar teams start in Palm Springs, California but don't stay Stateside long before they're heading to other parts of the world with U-turns, Speed Bumps, difficult challenges and, of course, each other getting in the way. Series host Phil Keoghan previewed the new season earlier this week for our Jim Halterman and shared just how much of an advantage the returning teams have, if he's still surprised at what unfolds on the Race and details on the just-released documentary of his momentous 2009 bike ride across the United States to raise money and awareness for Multiple Sclerosis research.

Jim Halterman: With so many great teams over the years, how did you ever decide who would come back for this 'Unfinished Business' season?

Phil Keoghan: I think the audience picked because they really told us who they liked the most through the feedback that we got on fan pages and websites and even the people that I get asked about the most. Then we picked in terms of the stories that we felt were strongest and related to the idea of 'unfinished business.' The teams that had stories that were the most captivating when it came to teams that had u-turns, teams that got lost, teams that came very close, teams that took the wrong pee-break and teams that were harboring a lot of regrets and woulda-coulda-shoulda in their experience from being on the Race so that's really how it came about.

JH: Do you feel that these teams had much of an advantage because they'd done it before? From what I've seen so far, you still see mistakes being made, the clashing of personalities, etc...

PK: I think it's definitely an advantage to have done the Race before so that puts them on equal footing but what it does is also increase the level of competition because now you're competing against teams that are more savvy so you can't afford to slip up. You really have to be on top of it. When you've got that many teams out there who have done it before and they know how everything works you really can't afford to make any mistakes at all.

JH: Any teams from the past you wanted to get for this season but didn't?

PK: I would have loved to have had the Home Shopping team (from Season 17) come back again but they weren't available. There were lots of teams that I would have loved to have come back. I would have loved to have another 10 teams! In the end, we had to make some pretty tough choices about who's going to come back and those teams couldn't wait to come back so we were very lucky.

JH: What's different this time around? Any new twists in the game?

PK: Right out of the gate, we added a challenge that shocked them and really had consequences not just in the first leg but the following leg. That was crucial and a key moment because you're now racing with some extra baggage with you. Also, rather than add new elements we made sure to amp [the existing elements] up and challenge them more since we knew they'd done it before. The challenges were pretty taxing and we heard from the teams. Some of them made it pretty clear that they thought this race was tougher and they didn't remember it being this hard the last time they were on. I just said 'Listen, you want to come back and get a second chance we're not going to hand this out. Second chances don't come easy. If you want to be here and run against these other teams, you're going to have to work for it. This is 'The Amazing Race' and it will tax you.'

JH: I'd consider most of the returning teams as nice teams but do we see some villainous behavior come out in the course of this season?

PK: Yeah, I think that you've got a lot of great potential for that kind of behavior. Like with Ron, is he going to revert back to his old behavior when he ran the race [in Season 12] - he probably had one of the biggest personality transformations on the air ever - but is he going to revert back to his old ways now that he's in a race and under pressure? I think anytime you amp things up the way we have and you put people out on the road to race and they get closer and closer to the idea of winning the race you're definitely going to have tension and interesting strategies. As the race continues, there are a couple of teams that alienate themselves from the others because of their competitiveness and because of certain choices they made in terms of what information they wanted to share or not share so it's pretty intense and it gets more and more as the race goes on.

JH: You've been through this so many times, Phil, but were you surprised by anything you saw this season?

PK: I'm always surprised because I'm not very good at picking who's going to do well and I would venture to say pretty much everyone on the production team is the same. We're constantly surprised and I think that's one of the key ingredients for why the Race works is that the viewer never really has a chance to work out what's going to happen. It's not a predictable competition where you have a track record for a team or a particular player and you're able to anticipate who is going to do well. In this Race, the lead changed a lot, the key players changed a lot...it's definitely surprising and the eventual teams racing to the finish line at the end was an interesting mix as to how they got there. There are a lot of teams that went from right at the back to right to the front and that happened a lot. I would think 'There's no way they're going to make it now. The writing is on the wall for them' and then miraculously they'd come back fighting back again. I love that. I've never been good at predicting the race and I hope I never am. If I were ever able to pick [the winner] it would mean that something in the race wasn't working. There would be something missing if I could predict it.

JH: Do you think the ultimate winner is truly the best player or is it sometimes just a game of chance?

PK: No, I do think that every winner that we've had even back to Flo and Zack [in Season 3] when Paul was ready to give up on the last leg and then they ended up winning - I do think chance plays into it but I think in the end chance can only get you so far. The team that crosses the finish line first is absolutely the team that has been the most consistent as a team in terms of how they've tackled the navigation, the travel choices, the detour choices and how they've tackled new and interesting road blocks. Chance is absolutely a factor but ultimately you don't get to the finish line and win 'The Amazing Race' by chance.

JH: What makes a location an ideal location for this season? Is there a criteria a spot has to meet?

PK: Ultimately, the network signs off on the final route but I think it's always about where have we not been? What have we not done? What would be really interesting? And what's going to grab attention? The great thing about our show is the background is always different. You never see the same thing on the race. A lot of shows go back to the same set or the same type of environment - they're in a house or they're in a studio - and the backdrop doesn't change. The thing that's really exciting for me is that we're finally in HD. It's definitely going to add another layer to the show that I think will only draw more viewers because for a long time viewers have always said "'We love seeing the world through the lense of 'The Amazing Race'" and this time it's wider and it's more defined.

JH: The documentary of your ride across America in 2009 really shows what an amazing journey you had. How can people see "The Ride?"

PK: We've been working with Regal Cinemas around the country and they've been so incredibly generous. They gave us 10 theaters around the country and allowed us to provide 100% off the box office to MS. We sold out in LA and they automatically gave me a second theater and that sold out. We sold out in Denver and they gave me a bigger 450-seat theater. We sold out in every single location around the country. You can download it from the links that are on my website, www.NoOpportunityWasted.com or on ITunes and from Amazon. We're spreading the film out as much as we can. It was a labor of love and all self-funded and taken two years to complete and so far we've gotten some great feedback, which are also on the website. It was the hardest thing I've ever done, without a doubt.

CBS's "The Amazing Race" returns this weekend (8 p.m. Sunday, KDKA-TV) for its first HD season and its second "all-star" edition, this time using the moniker "Unfinished Business" because none of the returning teams won the race in the past.

"It was a clever choice to go with teams that the audience has shown the most interest in, teams who have a woulda-coulda-shoulda attitude about their last experience on the race and to capitalize on that hunger and energy," said host/supervising producer Phil Keoghan in a phone interview earlier this week. "We didn't want this to be the same as 'All-Stars,' so I think it was a better choice to go for story over success."

Mr. Keoghan said his relationship with the teams is different in "The Amazing Race: Unfinished Business" because he has a history with them from past seasons.

"I have the knowledge of what they said the last time, things that were revealed to me when they were on the last time, and I can use that plus new information about what's transpired since the race began," he said. "It allows me to dig a little deeper."

He also gets to tease teams a little more easily, particularly when teams reach a pit stop in Sunday's season premiere that begins in Palm Springs, Calif., before racing to Sydney, Australia.

"There's a familiarity that allows me to tweak them even more because I know them and I can call them on things," Mr. Keoghan said. He said one of the most interesting stories this season will be to see if domineering dad Ron Hsu will go easier on his daughter, Christina, this time around.

"Has his behavior really changed since the last race or will he revert to his old pattern of behavior because of the pressure of the race?" Mr. Keoghan asked.

The show's casting directors came up with which past contestants were willing and available to return for another run on the show, and Mr. Keoghan credits CBS CEO Leslie Moonves for his involvement ("He has a phenomenal ability to pick talent; he's very hands on"). Mr. Keoghan got involved once potential teams were whittled down to about 25 and weighed in until the final 11 teams were chosen.

"There were a lot of teams I would like to have seen on, although I do think the teams we got are the best," he said. "I think if there's one other [past] team I would love to see again it's Brook and Claire," who were featured in last fall's edition and became infamous after Claire got hit in the face with a watermelon. Mr. Keoghan said they had prior commitments and could not participate this time. But he's pleased that the teams picked have strong backstories. "You can't beat Zev and Justin, who lost a passport, and Keisha and Jen, who took a bad pee break. These are the teams fans talk about the most, and they have unfinished business. They're all popular and all want a second chance."[/b

]Mr. Keoghan was in Pittsburgh last week to premiere "The Ride," a documentary film about his 2009 cross-country bike ride.

"It was very important for us to come to Pittsburgh and we specifically came because of the support GNC, a local Pittsburgh company, has given us," he said, adding that the screening at SouthSide Works was "absolutely packed."

The film can be seen online with a link to its Amazon rental/purchase page through Mr. Keoghan's NoOpportunityWasted.com website.

"Most of my career I've made television, and this is my first time involved in making something for the big screen," he said. "It's quite exhilarating."

Last year, the seven-year winning streak of "The Amazing Race" at the Emmy Awards was halted when "Top Chef" won Best Reality Competition Series. That this CBS staple lost was a surprise in itself but that it was not beaten by ratings powerhouse "American Idol" came as the real shocker. That hugely popular talent show had never won this award but was thought to have its strongest entry ever with the season finale that included a surprisingly touching tribute to departing judge Simon Cowell.For its 18th edition which begins Sunday, "The Amazing Race" is bringing back 11 teams that fell short of the finish line. Dubbing the season "Unfinished Business," executive producer Bertram van Munster explained to Craig Tomashoff of TV Guide, "We're giving people a second chance. It's the American way."All of the returning teams made costly errors along the route and are looking for redemption. When it came to deciding which of the also-rans to include, producers only went back as far as the 12th installment in 2007 so as not to make it too difficult for viewers to remember them. Five of the teams hail from the 14th cycle including ultra-competitive mother and son Margie and Luke Adams, sisters Jen and LaKisha Hoffman whose bathroom break cost them a place in the final three, and actor/director Mike White and his father Mel.

Logged

I really wish we could stay longer in the countries we visit, but I've been lucky to have visited most of them before, because I've done a tremendous amount of travel. - Phil Keoghan

It's time to hit the road again on The Amazing Race — with plenty of familiar faces. The CBS reality hit returns Sunday with 11 veteran teams who had never won before to settle, as the season's subtitle says, some Unfinished Business.

"These are teams that have been so incredibly popular that it was an opportunity to bring back some favorite teams that have favorite stories," host Phil Keoghan tells TVGuide.com. "They're teams that have really been walking around with the 'woulda, coulda, shoulda' ever since they got kicked off. It's like, enough moaning; come back and give it another shot and no more excuses."

Check out photos from The Amazing Race

But casting Unfinished Business — the show's second all-star outing after Season 11 — was as hard as designing the Race itself. For one, Season 13 wound up not being represented at all, even though fan favorites Toni and Dallas, who lost their passports, seemed like shoo-ins. "It really comes down to whether you think that story of theirs is really stronger than that of anyone we've got," Keoghan says. "There are a lot of other teams, but I feel pretty confident that the teams we've got have the best stories and the best motivation for coming back."

So why are these 11 also-rans the cream of the crop? Keoghan explains the show's picks below.

Ronald and Christina — Season 12, 2nd place Last we saw them: Christina got stuck on the final memory task, costing them the lead and the chance to become the first parent-child team winners.Why they deserve a second chance: Many remember Ron's explosive personality and constant belittling of his daughter, which he toned down as Season 12 winded up. "Ron, in my opinion, probably went through the biggest transformation on the Race," Keoghan says. "He was quite humbled by the experience. You dream for transformation in a character. But how much residual behavior is still left? I was interested to see what would happen when they're under pressure again. You'll see, under pressure, some of those old traits come to the surface again. Then, it's how do they move forward? Did they learn from the past?"

Kent and Vyxin — Season 12, 5th placeLast we saw them: Already handicapped with a Speed Bump, they unwisely U-Turned a team that was in front of them in India, rendering it void.Why they deserve a second chance: Well, they're pink Goths! "People always ask what they need to do to get on The Amazing Race. I always use Kent and Vyxin as an example," Keoghan says. "They epitomized what we're looking for, but they illustrate we don't know what we're looking for. Their personalities are also the antithesis of what you'd expect to come from people who dress as Goths." Keoghan also has a special connection with them: Kent's dad recently died from multiple sclerosis, and the couple came out for Keoghan on his bicycle ride across the United States in support of MS. Keoghan's journey is documented in his new film, The Ride, which features Kent, Vyxin and his dad. "They love the idea that their dad lives on in the film. A huge part of it was for them to run the Race again in memory of him."

Margie and Luke — Season 14, 3rd placeLast we saw them: Die-hard Race fan Luke couldn't identify two surfboard photos on the final memory task, preventing him from being the first deaf winner.Why they deserve a second chance: "Luke's one of those characters that people love or hate, and that makes for good TV. He's vindictive and will do whatever it takes to win," Keoghan says, referring to the mother-son duo's ruthless tactics in Season 14. And of course, he has another chance to make history as the show's first deaf winner. "I always wonder if their communication is stronger because they pay attention to each other. They won the first leg in Season 14 and that was a wake-up call to everyone else."

Amanda and Kris — Season 14, 8th placeLast we saw them: They fell victim to Margie and Luke's blind U-Turn, which stung even more because Amanda claims Margie told them she and Luke wouldn't U-Turn anyone.Why they deserve a second chance: The couple, now engaged, gets to face off with their nemeses again. "Kris admitted that he's extremely competitive," Keoghan says. "Young couples are interesting to watch because they're usually not that worldly. It's like watching kids trying to be grown-ups. You're going to see that right out of the gate." Speaking of right out of the gate, Keoghan promises twists on game elements to keep everyone on their toes — the first of which comes at the Pit Start. "They're back for a second time and we don't want them to ever feel like they know what's going to happen."

LaKisha and Jen — Season 14, 4th placeLast we saw them: They took an ill-timed bathroom break just steps away from the Pit Stop.Why they deserve a second chance: Pee break aside, the sisters' other notorious moment was a meltdown over a water task because neither of them could swim. "They were interesting because they're two strong, athletic women and you find out they can't swim. Then you realize they're really vulnerable and they looked like two little girls there," Keoghan says. So have they learned to swim since — and is there another water task? "You know there's always going to be air, land and sea in whatever we get them to do. Let's just say if they're smart, they would've come back with a few more tricks."

Mel and Mike — Season 14, 6th placeLast we saw them: A cabbie erroneously drove them to a beach in Thailand in search of a gorilla statue, when it was in fact at the zoo.Why they deserve a second chance: Because age is just a number. "Mel's 70. He's one of the oldest team members ever, but he's a fit 70," Keoghan says. "Age is never a measure of people's ability. There are plenty of young people who are not fit." And unlike a lot of parent-child relationships seen on the Race, this one is void of any drama. "It's a wonderful relationship. Mike almost fathers his father. You'll see a lot of that for sure."

Jaime and Cara — Season 14, 2nd placeLast we saw them: They suffered some bad taxi luck when their cabbie got lost and stopped for gas in the finale, foiling their goal to become the show's first all-female winners (Season 17's Nat and Kat have since accomplished that feat.)Why they deserve a second chance: Every show needs a villain. With their competitive and aggressive attitudes, the former NFL cheerleaders earned a "mean girls" label. "Jaime, man, you do not want to get in a fight with her!" Keoghan says. "She is feisty. She tells it like it is and she has no qualms about it." And with Race airing in high-definition for the first time, the ladies can show off the hair that matches their fiery 'tude. "The hair this year is flaming! These redheads are back," Keoghan says. "Let me tell you, that HD really brings out the red. There might be a lot of orders for that color."

Justin and Zev — Season 15, 9th placeLast we saw them: The best buddies were eliminated when Justin discovered he lost Zev's passport — after they arrived first at the Pit Stop. Why they deserve a second chance: "It was so sad when they got eliminated," Keoghan says. "They were just unlucky. They're a team that definitely deserved a second chance because they're strong enough to win. There's no doubt about it. They were definitely more calculated this time. They come out the gate strong."

Flight Time and Big Easy — Season 15, 4th placeLast we saw them: The Harlem Globetrotters opted to incur a four-hour penalty after Big Easy gave up on unscrambling... "Franz."Why they deserve a second chance: Who doesn't want to redeem themselves after that? "Everyone knows they're strong Racers. [Taking the penalty] was a bad choice, but I also don't know if Big Easy was ever going to unscramble it," Keoghan says. "It's hard for people to understand what's happening to teams — their brains are fried at that point. I think even the choice to take the penalty wasn't done with a lot of thought." And it forced Keoghan to sleep on the street on a mat. "They kept me waiting at the Pit Stop all night. I saw the sun set; I saw the sun rise. As soon as I saw them [this season], I said, 'Don't keep me waiting on the mat again!'"

Jet and Cord — Season 16, 2nd placeLast we saw them: Eventual winners Dan and Jordan cut in front of them at the airport and then pulled further ahead when they moved up to first class.Why they deserve a second chance: As Keoghan says, the cowboys/brothers were the "obvious choice" to return, given their popularity, aw-shucks-ness and never-say-die attitude. "They struck a chord, no pun intended. Actually, I did intend it!" Keoghan jokes. "I think they represent something that is so Americana and so warm. You watch them and go, 'Man, I wouldn't mind going and having a beer with those guys.' They're just down-to-earth. My favorite part of them was that they always had the cowboy hats on. Bungee-jumping with the hats on? C'mon! I have only good things to say about them."

Gary and Mallory — Season 17, 6th placeLast we saw them: They drove around for nine hours in Oman, thanks to an imprecise map.Why they deserve a second chance: "I just don't think we could've done this without their story," Keoghan says of the perky Miss Kentucky 2009 and her MacGyver-like dad, who filmed two seasons in one calendar year. "You wait until you see Mallory on this first leg — some of the lines she comes up with. She is just a bundle of energy. She really does exemplify why I love Racers who come on and really embrace the opportunity. I got a huge kick of seeing her on the show. And Gary can do anything! It's such a cool connection they have. It's so grassroots."

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) – As CBS' "Amazing Race" heads into its 18th season - this time returning teams from previous seasons back for some "Unfinished Business" - reasons for the show's enduring popularity are on full display. Part travelogue, part social experiment, "Amazing Race" has always risen above the fetid dysfunction that plagues the reality genre. (This is a big part of why the show has seven Emmys.) Sure, there is a measure of predictability to the "Amazing Race" by now: someone will recount a story of overcoming adversity while cheesy inspirational music plays in the background; by episode two at least one team will have a blow-out fight; eye-roll inducing product placement (".... climb into one of the Ford Focus cars waiting for you...," host Phil Keoghan says helpfully in the opening minutes of episode one).

But the show works because it's about something: a test of wit and brawn and teamwork coupled with stunning video that will be broadcast for the first time in HD. (It's about time, if ever there was a show that cried out for the stunning clarity of HD it's "The Amazing Race." And now the producers will get their money's worth for all of those expensive aerial shots.)

This time the show enlists losers from season's past for a second chance at the show's $1 million prize money. Repeat performances are nothing new for reality competition shows. ("Race" mounted an All-Stars edition in 2007.) But it does give fans someone to root for - or against. And many fan favorites are back including "cowboys" Jet and Cord McCoy (season 16), sisters LaKisha and Jennifer Hoffman (season 14), Gary Ervin and his daughter Mallory, Miss Kentucky and Miss America runner-up (season 17); erstwhile NFL cheerleaders Jaime Edmondson and Cara Rosenthal (season 14); "goth couple" Kent Kaliber and Vyxsin Fiala (season 12); Margie Adams and her son Luke, who is hearing impaired; and Harlem Globetrotters Nate "Big Easy" Lofton and Herb "Flight Time" Lang (season 12), among others.

The race begins in the Palm Springs, CA wind farm and hop scotches to Sydney, Australia where teams have to swim with real sharks; tiny Lichtenstein, where they must measure the length of the country on motorized bicycles; and Tokyo, Japan where they endure the freezing waters from Mount Fuji as part of a spiritual retreat.

As usual, the cross-continent "Race" is part popularity contest, part behavior lab and adrenaline will build as the race progresses and team members and contestants increasingly wear on each other's nerves. In the first installment, best friends Zev Glassenberg and Justin Kanew (season 12) telegraph their affinity for Big Easy and Flight Time by sporting Harlem Globetrotter T-shirts. (Big Easy and Flight Time are clad head-to-toe in Globetrotter regalia.) So when the duo falls behind, Glassenberg and Kanew give them an answer to a riddle in order to advance to the next clue. Other teams also help one another, but no one helps the cowboys, who are left to solve the riddle on their own, sweat accumulating on brows furrowed underneath ten-gallon hats. If it's a bit predictable that's a small quibble for a reality show that doesn't make you feel like you need a Silkwood shower. And that's the secret to ,Amazing Race's, success; its escapist fun with a relatable hook. It's your summer camp scavenger hunt with a multi-million dollar budget. Who doesn't watch this show and think, I could easily win the $1 million booty if only I could take a couple months off of work?

It's a good thing The Amazing Race: Unfinished Business contestants don't have to compete against their host, Phil Keoghan. Even though they've all raced before, he would surely beat them all and win the million-dollar prize himself. Why? Because he's a badass. Phil just rode across America to raise money for MS—his bicycle journey from Los Angeles to New York City is documented in a new feature film, The Ride. Phil took time out of his movie premiere tour to dish on this season's familiar faces, what new challenges we can expect, and who he'd pick as his partner if he were competing in The Amazing Race:

Q&A with The Amazing Race Phil Keogan

Congratulations on your successful ride across America, and the new film! Well, thank you! It's been a real adventure up to this point.

Now that you have ridden your bike across a continent enduring all kinds of weather and a nasty crash, are you more critical of the racers who whine or give up?There have been occasions on the race where I have been frustrated with teams that, I feel, have lacked a real go-get-'em attitude and are a little soft sometimes. There have been times on TAR where I have absolutely been frustrated with some of them, and I told them so. I've said getting on this race and having the opportunity to be on this race is a privilege and don't waste it. The Unfinished Business teams are a different lot. They're hungrier than any teams we have already had collectively, because they are all coming back to prove something.

This new season has brought some very feisty, competitive people who are a little bitter about what happened the last time out and have something to prove. How did you select which teams would return this season?We decided that we would let teams come back for a second chance who had unfinished business—like teams that took a bad pee break, were U-turned, made bad decisions, had mental breakdowns in challenges. Teams that came very, very close but didn't quite make it. [Unfinished Business] gives them a chance to redeem themselves.

Who is the villain this season? Ah-ha! Well, who would you think it would be looking at the lineup? Well, there was a lot of conflict between Luke and the other girls.... Margie and Luke had a bit of an issue with Kisha and Jen [the "potty stoppers"] in China. Jamie and Cara are a team that take no prisoners—they're a pretty strong, robust team. Kent and Vyxsin are also no pushovers. They're pretty sneaky! I assure you that there is tension and a little bit of jostling for power. I think I can leave it to your judgment as to who those teams are. There's always going to be tension, and I will leave it to you to whether to classify if the behavior is villainous. There's certainly lots of tension.

Who has changed the most since they first played?Ron was probably the one going through the biggest transformation, when he played with [his daughter] Christina—their relationship really did have quite an arc change—there was quite a transformation that took place. The question is will he revert back to his old ways or has he genuinely changed—changed for the good?

Who has inspired you the most?The Globetrotters [Herb "Flight Time" Lang & Nate "Big Easy" Lofton] are the team that I would probably say of everybody there is the most inspirational. There are so many teams that have great energy, [but] the Globetrotters are sharing a lot of positive energy with their performance, with their work with the Harlem Globetrotters. I know they have inspired a lot of young people because I saw it during their shows. People are also inspired by Luke and his ability to take on this challenge as a deaf person. I also think you have to look at Mike and his father, Mel, a 70-year-old guy going out and racing. You got to look at Zev and Justin—what I love about Zev is he says it like it is. There's no filter, and that's what I love about him.

Any new twists, like the express pass offered in the first leg of last season?I'll just say this: Right out of the gate, they are tested to the max. They're definitely caught off-guard right from the beginning. There are teams that are coming right back, and we want to make sure that they don't take anything for granted, and that they make sure to know how everything works. Our idea was to really shock them right at the starting line, and I think we did that effectively. There are a couple of changes to the way things work. I think you'll be entertained by it all. What I can reveal is they have to get straight on a flight to Sydney. What you will see will be a lot of interesting dynamics because all of these teams know of each other. We are going to Sydney and Tokyo. There is a very spiritual ritual that takes place in Japan that is quite outrageous—really, two challenges there that are quite outrageous. One in particular that has chilling consequences, we'll just say it that way.

Are there any of the dreaded eating challenges this season?

Off the top of my head, I can't remember an eating challenge.

If you were doing the race, who would you pick as your partner?I would say my dad. He's very smart, he's fit. We get along very well, and it would be fun to hang out with him. .

Phil Keoghan will need a much bigger hair and makeup trailer now that "The Amazing Race" is finally, for its 18th edition, in high definition.

Suggest that possibility to Keoghan, and you'll get the famous raised eyebrow. (It's the left. The right goes nowhere.)

In 18 runs around the world for "The Amazing Race," Keoghan has curled up at the Pyramids in Egypt and shampooed his hair beside a road in China. Between "Race" seasons, he bicycled from Los Angeles to New York, picking up a load of gravel in his hip and face in a scary fall. As a man who wastes no opportunity for adventure, he isn't inclined to think too much about whether his nose is shiny.

While teams race for $1 million, Keoghan races to keep one step ahead and arrive on the mat before they do. Last winter, he spent 23 days on the road with contestants he already knew, as 11 teams who didn't win the first time returned to settle what's being called "Unfinished Business."

"Going out with a new cast is always a gamble," Keoghan said during a recent visit to St. Louis. "You worry they'll turn out to be wishy-washy."

With returning teams, "We had more of a guarantee, because these people had a proven track record. But rather than all-star teams, it's more like they have all-star stories  the unfortunate pee break, the lost passport, the bad taxi driver."

Oh, the bad taxi driver.

"Taxis!" Keoghan says. "They've been hands-down the biggest obstacle teams have faced in the race."

Eliminating a team is always tough, he says, "but this time maybe it was even harder because I knew them better. The first elimination is always the hardest, because nobody wants to be first to go."

The big news for the new season is that "The Amazing Race" is now in high-def.

"HD is a dramatic change," Keoghan says. "And I really think it's come at the right time, giving us something new to talk about, something to sell the show around after 17 seasons."

Possibly TV's most HD-worthy show, "The Amazing Race" has been criticized for remaining in standard definition.

"But that was because of the difficulty of producing a show like this," Keoghan says. "It's not the same as being in a studio. We're shooting in humidity, in rain, in dust storms. What if you're in Bangladesh and the camera goes down?"

The good news is that "we found a way to execute in HD, and the show looks sensational." A change to widescreen format also allows space for more information on screen, without blocking too much scenery, while Keoghan talks about where the teams are or what they're doing.

But remember, before you ask how he keeps busy when the teams are running around, that "95 percent of what I do is behind the scenes  rewriting the script, dealing with logistics, setting up my shots. It's just me, a sound guy and a cameraman, so it's hard."

This season, Keoghan shot a lot of behind-the-scenes footage for segments to air online.

"Viewers are really savvy, and they want to know the process," he says. "The behind-the-scenes segments will give fans a sense of what it takes to make the show and what the teams are doing when you're not seeing them."

Some things never change, though, and that includes teams' struggles to read maps and drive stick-shift foreign cars.

Surely, by now, the "Unfinished Business" teams learned to drive a stick?

Last year, the seven-year winning streak of "The Amazing Race" at the Emmy Awards was halted when "Top Chef" won Best Reality Competition Series. That this CBS staple lost was a surprise in itself but that it was not beaten by ratings powerhouse "American Idol" came as the real shocker. That hugely popular talent show had never won this award but was thought to have its strongest entry ever with the season finale that included a surprisingly touching tribute to departing judge Simon Cowell.

Logged

I really wish we could stay longer in the countries we visit, but I've been lucky to have visited most of them before, because I've done a tremendous amount of travel. - Phil Keoghan

Phil Keoghan will need a much bigger hair and makeup trailer now that "The Amazing Race" is finally, for its 18th edition, in high definition.Suggest that possibility to Keoghan, and you'll get the famous raised eyebrow. (It's the left. The right goes nowhere.)

In 18 runs around the world for "The Amazing Race," Keoghan has curled up at the Pyramids in Egypt and shampooed his hair beside a road in China. Between "Race" seasons, he bicycled from Los Angeles to New York, picking up a load of gravel in his hip and face in a scary fall. As a man who wastes no opportunity for adventure, he isn't inclined to think too much about whether his nose is shiny.

While teams race for $1 million, Keoghan races to keep one step ahead and arrive on the mat before they do. Last winter, he spent 23 days on the road with contestants he already knew, as 11 teams who didn't win the first time returned to settle what's being called "Unfinished Business.""Going out with a new cast is always a gamble," Keoghan said during a recent visit to St. Louis. "You worry they'll turn out to be wishy-washy."

With returning teams, "We had more of a guarantee, because these people had a proven track record. But rather than all-star teams, it's more like they have all-star stories — the unfortunate pee break, the lost passport, the bad taxi driver."Oh, the bad taxi driver."Taxis!" Keoghan says. "They've been hands-down the biggest obstacle teams have faced in the race."

Eliminating a team is always tough, he says, "but this time maybe it was even harder because I knew them better. The first elimination is always the hardest, because nobody wants to be first to go."The big news for the new season is that "The Amazing Race" is now in high-def."HD is a dramatic change," Keoghan says. "And I really think it's come at the right time, giving us something new to talk about, something to sell the show around after 17 seasons."Possibly TV's most HD-worthy show, "The Amazing Race" has been criticized for remaining in standard definition.

"But that was because of the difficulty of producing a show like this," Keoghan says. "It's not the same as being in a studio. We're shooting in humidity, in rain, in dust storms. What if you're in Bangladesh and the camera goes down?"

The good news is that "we found a way to execute in HD, and the show looks sensational." A change to widescreen format also allows space for more information on screen, without blocking too much scenery, while Keoghan talks about where the teams are or what they're doing.But remember, before you ask how he keeps busy when the teams are running around, that "95 percent of what I do is behind the scenes — rewriting the script, dealing with logistics, setting up my shots. It's just me, a sound guy and a cameraman, so it's hard."

This season, Keoghan shot a lot of behind-the-scenes footage for segments to air online."Viewers are really savvy, and they want to know the process," he says. "The behind-the-scenes segments will give fans a sense of what it takes to make the show and what the teams are doing when you're not seeing them."

Some things never change, though, and that includes teams' struggles to read maps and drive stick-shift foreign cars.

Surely, by now, the "Unfinished Business" teams learned to drive a stick?

Though this is the first HD edition of “The Amazing Race,” CBS only forwarded a SD screener. Ah well.

“This is Palm Springs, California!” begins Phil Keoghan at the start of what proves a compelling first hour. “Built in a rugged valley, it is the second windiest place on earth! It’s a city on the forefront of modern energy technology!”

All teams in this 18th edition, titled “Unfinished Business,” lost prior races. There are a couple of surprising omissions. Popular “Big Brother” power couple Jordan Lloyd and Jeff "It Hurts!" Schroeder aren’t aboard, nor are “Survivor” vets Rob Mariano and Amber Brkish. (Mariano, who lost twice on “Amazing Race” and three times on “Survivor,” is currently on yet another edition of “Survivor,” pursuing the sixth chance CBS has given him to win a million dollars.)

Even though actual Globetrotters Flight Time and Big Easy are in this race, both members of Team Aspergers wear licensed Harlem Globetrotter active wear.

“This race is going to be very, very different, starting right now,” Phil warns the contestants before the race has begun. “As you all know, second chances don’t come free.”

Spoilers lurk in the text invisible.

The first task takes place near the starting line in Palm Springs. It’s overcast and raining a bit and everybody, Phil included, looks like they’re freezing their hinders off.

Destination one is Australia. (At one point contestants get to ride the almost-oxymoronic Manly Ferry.)

A shocking bit of real-world crisis precipitates a major reversal of fortune for several of the teams.

LaKisha and Jennifer, the non-swimmers who were undone by an water challenge in their first season (and, yes, they are quick to point out that they embody an African-American stereotype), are again forced to confront an aquatic challenge.

Alliances prove unusually critical this week.

A surprise awaits all teams at the first finish line. And a surprise awaits viewers too: the first episode denies us the knowledge of who – if anyone – is eliminated on the first leg of the race.8

The brutal attack on CBS reporter Lara Logan during what was supposed to be a celebration in the main square of Cairo has other TV shows rethinking how they operate overseas.

"Egypt is off the map for us right now," says Phil Keoghan, host of "The Amazing Race."

Not surprising certainly, given the turmoil there and in nearby Arab countries like Bahrain and Tunisia.

But it is an issue that is suddenly front burner for a number of TV shows shot overseas.

"The Amazing Race" -- one of the longest- running reality shows on prime time and which started its latest season last night -- is based on the idea of exotic travel. And the world -- post-Logan -- suddenly seems a much scarier place for Americans abroad.

Phil Keoghan, host of "The Amazing Race," says the show depends on a network of security consultants around the world."There are certain countries off-limits right now," Keoghan says. "We're not going to go to Afghanistan right now."

At least once before, the "Race" had to make an adjustment in the middle of production to avoid a global hot spot.

The show -- which began in 2001, 10 days after 9/11 -- is based loosely on "Around the World in 80 Days." Teams of two people race each other around the world over a set course for a $1 million prize.

"We'd been to Argentina a number of times, but there was a time we were shooting and we heard there was some political unrest there," Keoghan says.

"It ended up not amounting to much, but rather than taking any risk at all, we decided: 'Let's just not go there.'"

The competitors skipped Argentina and headed instead for South Africa.

"We were going to Africa anyway and we just diverted there a little earlier," he recalled.

"We have consultants who work with the show," says Keoghan. "They'd be the same people working with the news departments -- companies that are security-risk management consultants."

The consultants -- usually ex-military men or retired federal agents -- form a network that keeps tabs on local conditions and advise businessmen, rich travelers and Hollywood production companies on when and where it's safe to go -- and how to get out of sticky situations, if things do not go according to plan.

"They're pretty common practice today," says Keoghan. "A lot of people are working with risk management teams and we're no exception.

"We absolutely rely on them."

He pauses and raps his knuckles on a desk top.

"Touch wood, 10 years on the road and we've got it right," he says.

It is an uncomfortable spot for producers to be in.

"Race" -- and a handful of shows like it -- try to portray the world as filled with people with exotic customs but essentially the same as you and me.

"We're almost the antithesis of news in that way," Keoghan says.

And that perception, too, is now threatened.

Planning is underway for the next edition of "Amazing Race" which will start taping this summer.

At the moment, I'd say that the only places in the Arab world that might be safe enough for TAR are Kuwait and Jordan; even Israel would be safer than the rest of the Arab world right now. Even Morocco is off the map.